Regulation 4 Amendments to the Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulations 1989

After regulation 26, there shall be inserted the following regulation:—

“Meeting with a mediator in family matters

26A

Subsection (3F) of section 15 of the Act shall not apply:—

(a)

where there is no recognised mediator available to the applicant or any other party to the proceedings to hold a meeting under that subsection; or

(b)

where:—

(i)

the applicant is likely to fulfil the conditions under which legal aid may be granted under the Act and these Regulations;

(ii)

it is in the interests of justice that the applicant should, as a matter of urgency, be granted legal aid; and

(iii)

an application for an emergency certificate under regulation 19 has been made.”.